Nearly half of professional service robots sold in 2025 were used for transportation and logistics, helping drive a total increase of 24% in global shipments of those robots to almost 250,000 units in 2025, according to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).
Sorted by application, transportation and logistics stayed in the lead, with 117,500 units sold in 2025. This was up 21%, and represents a market share of 47%. Although traditional sales remained the main monetization channel, RaaS business models continued to grow in popularity and are already the dominant business model in the U.S.
Hospitality robots rank in second place. Machines for mobile guidance, information points in public environments, and telepresence account for the majority of these robots. The market for professional cleaning robots follows in third place, with floor cleaning as the main application in this segment.
“Service robots are expanding into everyday operations,” says Jane Heffner, President of the International Federation of Robotics. “Sales went up across all three segments with double-digit growth rates: professional service robots gained 24%, medical robots grew 19%, and consumer service robots surged by an impressive 37%.”
A much smaller slice of market share went to humanoid robots, which are designed to resemble humans and are gaining massive attention for their potential flexibility. But while recent advances in AI, sensors, and control systems have enabled impressive pilot projects, most current applications remain specialized and often require human teleoperation, IFR found. In 2025, about 7,000 units of full-size humanoids (above 140 cm) were sold globally. These robots are intended for commercial and professional applications beyond R&D and entertainment.
Widespread adoption of humanoid robots continues to be limited by key challenges such as safety standards, high training and maintenance costs, and the lack of a strong business case, particularly in industrial settings. For humanoid robots to become practical everyday tools, further progress in intuitive programming, robust manipulation, economic scaling, and standardized safety is essential, IFR said.
